Congress leaders in Kerala raise issues before AICC ahead of assembly polls

After the recently-held local body elections in Kerala, several Congress leaders have raised issues including the need to change the working style of state leadership. The party which had performed poorly in many of its previously strong bastions had concerned members suggesting sacking of non-performing district units ahead of the state assembly elections next year.

Presenting a horde of complaints and concerns before an All-India Congress Committee delegation which was in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday to examine the party's debacle in the crucial local body polls which the ruling LDF swept, the leaders wanted immediate intervention of the high command to address the issues, party sources said.

There was also a general suggestion to give more representation for youth in the assembly polls.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) political affairs committee members, state-level office-bearers and District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents were among those who met the delegation headed by AICC general secretary (in charge of Kerala) Tariq Anwar.

The delegation, which also comprised AICC secretaries Ivan D'Souza and PV Mohan, on a mission to elicit suggestions to revamp the party, met the leaders of the Congress-led United Democratic Front on Monday.

Though there were reports that leaders pressed for change of the present state leadership during the interactions, a highly-placed AICC source said no such demand came up but there was sharp criticism against the working style.

"To my knowledge, no such demand has come up. Because, everyone knows that such a change is not practical as there are only three or four months left for the assembly polls. But, many have complained against the intense groupism, non-performance of many DCCs and the holding of DCC presidency by some people's representatives in the state," the source told PTI.

Many senior leaders had attributed "non-performance" of DCCs for the party's debacle in many districts.

"They demanded an immediate change in such DCCs at the leadership level. But they said that if there is a change, it should be within weeks as DCCs have to start preparations for the assembly elections," the source said.

In some districts like Palakkad, Ernakulam and Wayanad, MLAs or MPs hold the post of DCC presidents also and some leaders demanded that the AICC delegation take steps to make a change in this.

"Many pointed out how CPI(M) gives the public an impression that they are giving prominence to youths. They also pointed out the example of the Marxist party picking up a 21-year-old college student for the post of Mayor in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation," the source said.

The leaders wanted the central leadership to take some action to convince people that they were giving some prominence to the youth in Congress.